Child&#39;s swing



May 29, 1945. o. A.-WATTS CHILDS SWING Filed Jan. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Wavy 3m 05m). wazs By 24 cull May 29, 1945.

o. WATTS CHILDS swme Filed Jan. 6, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 s 0500774. Wafls Inventor I9 2! h all Patented May 29, 1945 armies PATE onmns SWING -lOscanAQ Watts,,Erench,SettlemenhflLa. -Application January-6, 1943;Serial' -Nor 471,461

zolsams. (cuss-558i "This invention relates to-a structurallytnovel and functionally improved 'childs swing for 11S? indoors orjout-pf doors and especially suitable foruse ,on Qnes porch, th same having particue larireference to. a single portable chair-like sconstructionadaptedto be swingablyhung, iromlthe porch ceiling orequivalent supportlby appr p ate suspensionichains or'the like.

Resemblingas it 'does the'bench-jtype, slatted form, multip1e occupant porch swing;,the construction-forming the preferred embodiment of the invention is a diminished. .or. miniature likeness to the regular'benchswing. jj Built ,on'J-this smaller vfscale and adapted for, rough. handlin and usage," it is possessed of, unique. structural;

features which serve to renderit aptly fittedjfor such purposes. With these two requisites inmind, and in reducingthe inventionto practice, Lhave devised a swing expressly adaptedfor use.by.chi1- dren, the sam being characterizediby strength and durability, weather worthiness, practical usefulness, and being of such design, andconfi uration as to tendjto minimize injury to thesmall .occupants.

Visualized in a general manner, ,ther preferred.

construction embodies a substantial. slatted base or bottom and an upstanding slattediback rest, together with appropriately fashioned members forming arm rests. :In reference to .thisegeneral arrangement, a specific'lobject of the inyention i is the construction of "theibase section,jthi s emembodied inthe aforementioned back rest structure.

Other features and advantagesof the invention willbecome more readilyapparent from thefob lowing description and drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are employed throughout theviews:

"Figure lxis aside elevational-view of'the'com to designate like parts plet'e childs gswing constructed expressly in accordance withvention.

Fi ure-his a top plan view of the structure seen in FigurelyWithf-the suspension chains "omitted for clearness of illustration.

Figure is a rear elevational 'viewdepictingto advantage the; back rest and: especially the 'vcrisscross bracing.

Figure-4is'a bottom plan view ofthe seat-sec.- tion-or unit. v I p Figure-5 is an"enlargedfragmentary detail sectional view taken on "the Plane of; the -1ine5---5 of "Figure 1 looking in the direction-of the arrows and detailingthe association ofpartsforming the frame in* the seat or bottom section.

Figuret is an enlarged-vertical, fragmentary section taken on the ,4 plane 'of-- the line ii- 6 "of Figure 3 lookingin; the direction: of the arrows,

Figure "7 is a horizontal fragmentary-enlarged detail section on the' line l-"T of Fi-gurev2-showin the lower corner "construction of: the basal or seatpartof-* the structure.

Figure 8-is an exa erated perspective view showing'the interconnection of members; or -'elements -forming essential .partsjof the preferred types ofarm rests. I

*Ffigure" -9 is" a horizontal sectionon the plane of the line- 9-1 of Fi ure *1 employed to f-bring out how the "horizontal rails of the arm; rests fJ'Oin up with the back rest and bracing -means ior distribution of stress and-strain. V

Scanning the illustrative drawings, it ,will be observed that the swing, as a whole,'is'made up 'of *three main components; namely,- "the" seat or so-zcalled slatted bottom, the, especially l designed and braced slatted-type back rest; antiffinally, thetwo duplicatearm-rests.

- The specific construction, of {the seat, unit is evident from Figures '1 '4, 5 and "7. Referring,

first, to- Figure '4, it' wilhbe observed that" the frame 'is' expressly designed for rigidity and-durability. The horizontal'f rame-mm ebers 10 "are parallel to eachother and-also to, acentral brace "I ljthe latter "having notches 'adjacentdtsends 1 toaccommodate the intermediate portionsaof the complemental fram members I2 arrranged at right angles {to the first-named frame "members" 1 l0 and -'The intermediate portionsfittinginto the-notches in the part H are flush with the lower edge of saidpart I l, as brought outgin' Fig: ure5. "The end portions of themembers 1 ii -have overlapping connection with the, -"frame"member s l O an'd attire-points of intersectionthe lower nds of the' suspension chain rods-or bolts 13 extend the principles of the :present' in-- therethrough. This provides for ideal anchorage of the eyebolts or stays l3 and also properly assembles the five-slat frame elements II], II and I2. The narrow front and rear slats l4 and I5 serve to finish out the adjacent areas smoothly and also function as convenient drop or apron elements. The main wider slats 16 are suitably mounted on the frame. Thus, we have a fiveelement or part frame with its parts carefully designed and coacting to ably accommodate the slats or finishing elements. a

The seat structure is referred to by the letter S to distinguish it, as a unit,from the back rest unit B. Now, in reviewing critically the construction of the part B, we observe that. it is essentially made up of uprights I! having horizontal back resting slats l8 appropriately attached thereto. Particular attention is called to the caplike shield or guard at the top made up of the companion slats I9 and 2|], these converging by securing the slat l9 to the mitered upper ends of the uprights II. This provides an ideal protective guard in case the child stands up in the swing. This is, therefore, the aformentioned essential safety feature, or, at least, may be singled out as such. It is to be observed in Figure 4 that the lower ends of the uprights are carefully joined up with the frame elements It and I2 and are directly bolted, as at 21, to the adjacent frame elements l2. In addition, I call attention to the X-shape'd bracing means comprising a single long brace 22 and two co-acting shorter braces 23 interposed between the uprights ll. Further, at the approximate point where the parts 22 and 23 abut one another there is a reinforcing cross piece 24, this bridging the coacting portions of said braces 22 and 23 as brought out to advantage in Figure 3. There is also a centrally positioned vertical reinforcing brace 25', this having its upper feather edge connected with the slat 20 and its lower end underneath said cross-piece 24 and seated in the crotch formed by the abutting portions of the parts 22 and 23. Altogether these components I1, 22, 23, 24 and 25 contribute their proportionate share in making up a carefully balanced and reinforced frame structure in the back rest unit. Here, again, I provide for uniform distribution of strain and stress and this emphasizes the aforementioned feature of rigidity and stability so necessary in a childs swing. In fact, childrens playthings in this category are subject to rough handling and usage, and hence it is important to build the parts to withstand such activity.

I call attention now to the arm rests, each of which comprises a horizontal hand rail or part 26. This part has its rear end notched out, as at 21, to engage the post or upright I1, where it is fastened in place by a bolt or the like 28. The notched portion 21 extends beyond the post where it nestles in abutting relation with the end of the reinforcing cross piece 24. The upper end of the vertical strut, that is, the extension 29 of the strut 30 (see Fig. 8) fits into a notch in the outer end of the rail 26. The parts are bolted together at 3| for security in assemblage and association. Carrying out further the idea of careful selection and coordination of parts, it W be observed that the lower ends of the struts 30 actually project down into the seat arrangement, as shown in Figure 7. What is more, the overlapping of the ends I 0 and I2 at this point provides an ideal association permitting the lower end of said strut to be bolted at 32 to the projecting terminal or end of the frame part! 0. The upper ends of the eyebolts pass through the hand rail 26 and, if desired, metal clips 33 (see Fig. l) serve to contribute additional stability.

In reviewing the drawings and description, I desire to emphasize the novel features; namely, the five-part frame arrangement shown in Figure 4 with the overlapping ends of the parts H) and [2 serving for ingenious nesting 0f the struts 30 and uprights I! in place. Or in other words, these parts 30 and ll are thus securely anchored in the seat and the fastenings are underneath the seat so as to occupy a safe spot. The frame structure itself made up of the parts ID, I l and i2 is believed to be novel. Particularly do I emphasize the criss-cross and bracing structure shown in Figure 3, thi forming the essence of the back rest. Furthermore, attention is called to the upper mitered ends of the uprights I1 whereby to permit the parts or slats l9 and 20 to come together in forming a topping cap or shield for the upper portion of the back rest. It follows, therefore, that Figure 9 illustrates one feature of the construction and Figure 7 another feature. Thus, all of the views together give a clear impression of what are throught to be outstanding structural arrangements in a childs swing construction.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. In a chair-type porch swing expressly built for children, a substantially rectangular seat unit including a frame, said frame comprising a pair of opposed parallel frame elements disposed in an even plane with one another, a second pair of frame elements disposed in a plane with each other but on a plane below the first-named elements, the second-named elements being disposed and positioned inwardly of the outer ends of the first-named elements and crossing and overlying said first-named elements and being bolted thereto, a back rest including a pair of spaced parallel uprights having their lower ends simultaneously contacting and bolted to the rear ends of the first-named frame elements and the end portions of one of the adjacent secondnamed frame elements, a pair of frontal vertical struts opposed to said uprights and having their lower ends resting in contact with the adjacent end portions of the first-named elements and the end portions of the adjacent one of said secondnamed frame elements and respectively fastened thereto, slats secured to the top surfaces of the frame elements of the first-named pair, slats secured across the back rest uprights, and a pair of arm resting rails horizontally disposed and connected to the intermediate portions of the uprights at their rear ends and secured to the upper ends of the struts at their outer forward ends.

2. In a chair-type porch swing expressly built for children, a substantially rectangular seat unit including a frame, said frame comprising a pair of opposed parallel frame elements disposed in an even plane with one another, a second pair of frame elements disposed in a plane with each other but on a plane below the first-named elenamed frame elements, a pair of frontal vertical 1o struts opposed to said uprights and having their lower ends resting in contact with the adjacent end portions of the first-named elements and the end portions of the adjacent one of said secondnamed frame elements and fastened respectively thereto, slats secured to the top surfaces of the frame elements of the first-named pair, slats se cured across the back rest uprights, a pair of arm resting rails horizontally disposed and connected to the intermediate portions of the uprights at their rear ends and secured to the upper ends of the struts at their outer forward ends, and elongated eye-bolts passing through the overlapping end portions of the respective pairs of frame elements and having their upper ends secured to the end portions of the adjacent arm resting rails OSCAR A. WATTS. 

